Chance for a Change
by Brony114
Summary: Thomas Hickey, a peaceful upstanding citizen who is an art undergrad studying photography is suddenly (and with out warning,) becomes a unicorn and is sucked into a land of ponies by an evil force that plots to use him as a means of destruction. Will he remain true to his peaceful disposition or will be be a harbinger of destruction? Will he find the courage to make it back home?
1. Chapter 1

_**Everfree Forest, Equestira**_

The ever free forest, a sight to behold in the darkest of nights, was cold and had a slight breeze that rustled the leave of the trees. Many creatures could be heard throughout the thick forest; many of whom were perfectly suited for the bleak darkness that encapsulated everything like a black fog.

In one of the deepest parts of the forest, beyond the Castle Of The Two Sisters, was a clearing where the moon light penetrated the canopy and softly illuminated the ground. The darkest shadows outlining the clearing with only allowing a few small shrubs to be seen.

Out of the shadows, trotted a lone figure draped in darkness who ceremoniously trotted slowly to the center of the clearing. In his ethereal hold were several items: a book, seven stones with runes, and a black candle. The soft glow of his horn could be seen, though his figure remained shrouded.

The black figure placed all the items down in a circle with the book in the center. Everything was arranged in a ritualistic manner. The black figure chanted softly with a low monotone mumble that could barely be heard. Suddenly there was a spark of magic that shot out of his horn that lit the candle. The black candle burned with a soft green flame, an unnatural color for sure. Its light illuminated the circle of runed stones and from the pages of the book the writing came alive. The clearing seemed to lower ten degrees in temperature and the wind began to pick up. Not startled by the change in weather, the dark figure raised his fore hooves to the moon and with a grand gesture, he ushered his spell and cast it in the clearing. Light shot out in all directions with a loud thunderclap.

* * *

 _ **Somewhere in the United States of America**_

The night was slightly chilly with a light breeze that rustled the leaves of the trees on campus. The Campus was lit with sparse street lights and the walkways were mostly empty. Thomas, an art undergrad, was out for a stroll. He had been studying for that semester midterms and was taking a brief walk to get some fresh air.

His walk took him around campus, which was one of the largest in the nation. It was a relatively safe university with a low crime rate so Thomas wasn't too worried about getting mugged or anything like that. Instead, he was more concerned about a midterm exam for one of his art history classes. Art history wasn't exactly something he enjoyed learning, though he saw its benefits in his studio practice. He was more of a studio rat, working in the chemical photography labs.

This semester was one of his hardest since moving from his parents home and going full time. Never had he tried to complete more than four classes in one semester. In fact, he was advised to only take two studio classes, though this semester was the last semester Dr. Tayler would be teaching fundamentals of alt process. Learning to make photos with old 19th century processes was something Thomas could really nerd over. Now he was paying for it as the endless nights of studying and studio work were taking their toll on him. DnD night with his buddies would have to take a back seat too.

As Thomas walked past the english department's building he began to feel off. He had a certain feeling of dread that he couldn't put his finger on. Feeling unsafe, he tucked his hands in is pullover pockets and started making his way back to the art building.

The air seemed to get colder and the breeze had picked up. There was supposed to be a cold front coming in with a slight chance of rain so the sudden change in the weather didn't seem unusual to Thomas. Still, his uneasiness was present. His eyes scanned the empty walkways around each building yet no one was there and he wasn't being followed either.

He made it to the art building parking lot when he suddenly heard a soft voice. The low monotone male voice was barely audible, though Thomas's heart jumped at the sound, so he stopped and looked around. The voice seemed to come from off in the distance, but it's direction wasn't obvious to him. Thomas waited to see if he could hear it again. After a moment, he figured he was just hearing things; a product of his paranoia brought on by his lack of sleep. Shaking his head, he decided to continue walking back to the lab.

" Ye creature of the bleakest heritage. Hear my summons and come forth!" Said the voice again, somewhat louder and more discernible. Thomas whirled around, eyes wide with shock. He scanned each shadow and each vehicle left in the parking lot overnight, but noone was around.

 _What the hell?_ Thomas thought to himself. He began to think how the sleep deprivation was really starting to get to him. Turning around, he started walking again.

 _I'm probably gonna have to call into work tomorrow. I can't see myself staying awake._ Thomas thought to himself. Thomas worked at a supermarket as a cashier. He remembered making the mistake of going into work after a long night and how that had been nothing less than a disaster.

" Heed my call! Come to me and spread the hateful darkness that is the inheritance of your ancestry!" the voice called out again. Its presence was made full, though it seemed to come from all directions. Thomas didn't stop, He didn't turn around or wait to hear the awful disembodied voice again. Instead he started booking it as fast as he could. He wasn't an athlete, but he was sure he could break any sprint record at that moment.

The wind had picked up significantly and the air was icy. The trees around the parking lot were now swaying as if a hurricane had come through. Thomas was scared out of his wits as he could hear the voice calling to him.

" Come and do your worst!" said the voice. Thomas nearly tripped several times but through sheer will, he managed to stay running. He was closing the distance to the lab when suddenly a flash appeared in front of him. The light shot out in all directions with a loud thunderclap. Thomas felt the earth drop from underneath him and he began to fall. His body felt like he was on an amusement park ride, feeling his body accelerate downward.

The decent seemed to take forever, though Thomas could sense that time was something that was influx in this strange tunnel. The vortex of shadows pulled thomas further and faster, Making him feel as if his body was being stretched out. He screamed in agony and felt his body contort as if being molded like puddy. His body seemed to morph into several various shaped until it settled into something uncomfortable and unnatural for him.

Thomas wished for the pain to stop until suddenly he hit ground. Pain raced through his body and he groaned in agony. He could feel his body was in contact with cold earth.

His body felt strange like it was contorted. His hands and feet hurt and he couldn't move his digits. His head felt misshapen and his neck was strangely long. Overall, he felt unnatural and that terrified him.

He attempted to get up, hoping he could walk off his strange sensations lined with pain. Perhaps he was just feeling sick and he was hallucinating. He tried to use his hands to push himself up, yet he couldn't extend his fingers. Trying to look around, he found that he couldn't see very much either. The area around him was dim, save for a single green candle; It's light revealing something akin to an alter.

 _What is going on?_ Thomas thought to himself. Looking around he saw nothing, but in his heart he could feel a dark presence. His instincts seemed to be heightened, especially since his adrenal gland was pumping as much adrenaline into his system as possible. He could feel eyes staring at him. He had the strange feeling he was being evaluated, like he was on display.

" Hello?" Thomas called out weakly. His voice echoes from beyond the shadows. There was no reply, just the night sounds of the forest.

" Hello?" Thomas called out again, but slightly louder. Still there was nothing. A few moments passed with Thomas scanning the area for any signs of movement.

Then suddenly, from beyond the shadows, a voice rich and robust with malice and decorum, filled the silence with a malevolence that disturbed Thomas to his core. Its low pitch, thick accent and slight raspiness seemed to seep into his conscience like a clear pond muddied by a disturbance. It said,

" You are the harbinger of destruction and hate; The fabled architect of death and sorrow... the hominal scythe that reaps purpose from the tears of the innocent?" The voice inquired. It's sound felt to Thomas like claws tearing at his soul. It's Repugnant tone sent shivers down his back.

" Who… who are you?" Thomas managed to blurt out despite his gut wrenching fear. The voice didn't reply immediately, but instead, at figure slowly slunk from the shadows; It's form materialised out of the darkness as if made of shadows. Thomas still couldn't make out what it was, but he knew it walked on all fours.

" I asked for a champion of destruction, yet a pony is what I was given!?" The voice boomed in anger making Thomas shrink back.

 _What did this thing mean im a pony?_ Thomas thought to himself. Just then he noticed what his hands looked like. In the time he was searching for the disembodied voice, his eyes adjusted to the darkness. What Thomas saw wasn't his hands forever clutching into a fist, but instead, connected to his arms were hooves. Thomas began to freak out by screaming like he had never done before.

" Silence!" the voice demanded. Thomas once again shunk back from the figure.

" I do not know what fate has done for me, but perhaps I will let fate decide your destiny. Perhaps you are the bringer of destruction and you will have some use for me." The figure took a step back from Thomas and something seemed to glow on his head. It didn't give off enough light to reveal the monsters face, Thomas was somewhat appreciative of that fact.

Thomas averted his eye from the monster and began shivering in fear. He didn't know what was about to happen or what any of this meant, He felt true fear.

Suddenly there was a bright flash of light and Thomas could feel himself moving, but in all directions. His mind could feel himself transitioning in some strange quantum manner that violated all laws of physics. He also felt warm, like it was a sunny day in the middle of summer. It wasn't long before he could feel himself reverting back to his form and was met with a solid object that stopped his motion. Thomas was once again in pain. He could feel he was upside down and balanced on what should have been his shoulder blades.

Once the pain subsided enough for him to start moving, he opened his eyes. Immediately he could see a marble pillar with a wall sconce filled with a purplish flower arrangement next to it.

 _What now?_ Thomas thought to himself. Wiggling his body, Thomas fell over on his side. The floor was marble as well. He found that he had actually been leaning up against a wall with even more pillars and sconces. The room was in fact a long hallway. Looking at his hooves, Thomas began wondering just what in God's name was going on. It seem like the more he tried to figure his situation out, the more weird things got. Thomas's worried expression made clear what he was actually feeling, Confusion and fear. Thomas forced himself on his hooves which easily slid under his weight over the marble. It took some doing but he was able to stand on all four. Once he accomplished this feat, he slowly took small steps towards the opposite wall where a convenient mirror hung. He moved closer to get a better look and what he saw made him gasp. The creature that looked back at him was something like a small horse with richly colored blue fur and a white and blue striped main. His once light brown eyes were now a pair of very large light green eyes and protruding out of his forehead was a horn. He turned his head from side to side to examine his face, or rather his muzzle.

 _Why am I a crazy looking unicorn?_ Thomas retrospectively thought to himself. This whole scenario was crazy and he was suspecting he was a victim of a drug induced hallucination. No other explanation made more sense to him.

Thomas then turned his focus on his new surroundings. He wondered where he was. The hallway seemed to be very ornate with decorations befitting a royal palace. Along the walls between the pillars were various stained glass windows that depicted what he could only describe as horses. The windows seemed to have specific iconography that eluded to some sort of narrative, which he wasn't quite sure of. The characters seemed to be idolised in a way similar to medieval stained glass windows depicting saints. Some of the characters were recurring.

Thomas followed the windows looking each one over. His efforts to stay up made sounds that echoed down the hallway. He wasn't sure if he was alone even though nobody was in the hallway with him, yet he knew that the flowers in the wall sconces were pretty fresh. Their perfume hung in the air and the fragrance seemed to help calm him down a bit.

Thomas looked around himself again though he wasn't really looking for anything. He was in deep thought about his situation. Thomas never really had problems with navigating the twists and turns of his life; somehow he always knew what course to take. This Time, however, he was lost.

Thomas slid onto his flank with an audible plop. He suddenly felt very tired and very alone. Never had he been so lost in his life with no prospect of getting back home. He really was hoping he was just on some crazy trip. Thomas looked at his hooved appendages once again; the site of them made his predicament sink in. He didn't know where he was, what he was, or if any of this was real. He began to shed tears.

What the hell is going on? Thomas thought to himself. Thomas was scared to move since he didn't really know how to walk and he even felt reality was fragile and prone to change. He didn't want to start another event.

Thomas sat there worrying about his predicament that he didn't notice the clicking that came from beyond a set of doors near by. Then the doors opened.

Thomas then turned to look behind him. There were a set of door that opened behind him with another strange creature standing just inside them. The creature looked like a small deformed horse with large blue eyes and a white coat. He was also wearing golden armor with a blue plume. His bored, vacant eyes were looking Thomas over before the stallion addressed Thomas.

" Sir, these corridors are off limits to the public. You're gonna have to make your way back to the Night court chamber." The stallion continued to stare at Thomas with his bored eyes. Looking back, Thomas could only show an expression of shock. There was a small moment of silence between the two. The Stallion then cleared his throat.

" Sir, Please I don't want to have to ask you again." The stallion insisted.

" Oh...ok sorry, Which way is that?" Thomas replied sheepishly. The whole exchange was too weird for him so any option that got him out of this weird creatures attention was a good one.

" Just head back down this hallway and make a right." The stallion said as he pointed with his hoof down the hallway. Thomas nodded his head and with his best effort started trotting in that direction with his hooves slipping every once in awhile. It was like watching some wear heels for the first time. The stallion continued to stare at Thomas intently until,

" Sir can you stop for a minute?" Thomas gritted his teeth and and stopped in his tracks.

"Are you ok sir? You seem a bit off." asked the stallion. Thomas began to panic. He didn't know why, but he felt that letting the creature know that he was not what he appeared to be was a bad move. Thomas had the idea that he was in a palace or mansion and the horse that he was interacting with was in fact a guard. This had bad implications since he was in a restricted area. Who knew how this guard was going to react.

" I… I'm fine sir just… I'm a little lost." Thomas replied.

" I can see that, but I can also see you're inebriated. Who are you and what is your business here at the palace?" asked the Guard. Thomas felt he was in deep trouble.

 _Inebriated? Why does he think that?_ Thomas Thought to himself.

" I… uhh…" Thomas didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure if he should just tell the truth that he was pulled from his home. He still wasn't sure if this was a hallucination or not. The guard seemed to be visibly irritated and he quickly cantered up to Thomas.

" In the name of the Canterlot palace Guard, I demand an explanation!" The Guard demanded. Thomas froze. He didn't know what to say. The guards expresion turned to a scowl and his horn glowed with a gold hue. Suddenly Thomas's hind legs pulled out from under him and he could feel himself being lifted up in the air. Thomas began thoroughly freaking out and his free appendages started flailing everywhere. The guard wasn't expecting Thomas to do this and a hoof smacked the him in his face which made Thomas hit the ground. Thomas, being frightened, got up and started taking off as fast as he could. He was clumsy, to say the least.

Thomas shuffled as fast as he could towards the doors when he saw several more guards down the hall. They all looked up at him with quisitive looks. Thomas stopped in his tracks and began looking around him for another escape route.

"Get Back here!" The guard called from inside the other hallway. The other guards looked at each other then started cantering towards Thomas.

" You there, Stop right there!" One of them called out. A light grey pegasus. Thomas wasn't about to listen since he felt he was in danger. He could hear the first guard starting to gallope behind him. Thomas had nowhere to go ; The guards in front of him blocked his path out of the hallway and the guard behind him blocked his way to the _night court something_.

" Wait!" Thomas pleaded, but then he saw a possible escape route. The fist guard had rounded the doors and was poised to tackle Thomas. Thomas cold sense him about to make his move, so he decided now was the time.

"No Wait!" One of the guards called out.

Thomas had only seen this stunt done in movies and the chance of it being dangerous was really high, but he had no other options, so seeing the stained glass window to his right, he decided to make a jump for it. The one change to his body, he felt, that was useful were his hooves so he planted them as solidly into the glass as possible. The glass seemed to be heavier than it appears, clearly Thomas thought this was going to be easier. However, the glass did break and Thomas fell through it, but the heavy shards dug into his forehooves and the side of his face. The stinging, searing pain was unbelievable, but what was worse was he was a lot higher than he had originally imagined. The ground was about 15 feet below from the window and Thomas could feel himself tumble as he fell. The sounds of breaking glass were all around him. The shards danced as they hit the ground below, making Thomas wish he hadn't tried to break out like he had. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion but eventually Thomas made contact with the ground.

Sargent Halberd, A five year veteran of the Canterlot Palace Guard; one who was present for nearly every threat event to Equestria since the return of nightmare moon, had never seen somepony try to escape by jumping out an obviously thick stained glass window. The act astonished him beyond belief. His face was still sore from getting kicked in the mouth but that didn't stop him from racing to catch the strange, blank flank, blue unicorn who was obviously inebriated. It was unfortunate that he didn't catch the evader in time. Perhaps he could have tackled him and prevented his unavoidable injuries.

Sliding to a stop in front of the broken window, he put his hooves up on the sill and poked his head out. Just as he thought he would see, the blue unicorn was laying on the ground unconscious.

"Sergeant, who was that?" Called the pegasus. He had galloped up to the window as well.

" I don't know Dive Bomb, but we need a medic or doctor, pronto! I don't think he's getting up soon!" Halberd replied as he continued to look out the window.

" Sure thing Sarg'!" Corporal Dive Bomb replied as he turned and began flying down the hallway.

Halberd began climbing up onto the windowsill, being careful not to cut himself on the remaining shards.

" Aster, Fox, Help me with this guy." Halberd ordered the the other two guards, a white earth pony and a light green unicorn.

" Yes Sargent!" The replied in unison.

Halberd gently lowered himself down from the window and landed next to Thomas. Other Guards who were in the courtyard were cantering up to the scene. Halberd began looking the strange unicorn over and noticed the large lacerations around his face, and fore hooves.

" What were you thinking you nutcase?" Halberd said to the unconscious Stallion.


	2. Chance for a Change chapt 2

( Authors notes: I like HIE fics that assume that humans don't know about MLP since it makes the protagonist less knowledgeable about their world. Also I figured giving ponies their own measurement system would make things more realistic since they don't have the English system. I figured an adaptation of the English system would work. The average pony hoof is between 3 and 4 inches long so a 15 foot wall would be 45 hooves tall. Also thanks to everyone who has read, faved and or reviewed my story. It makes writing these that much more worth it.)

* * *

 **7:30 Canterlot General Hospital.**

Luna stood over the hospital bed with a tired expression. Her eyes shifted from side to side as she looked over the blue stallion unicorn who had caused so much trouble during Night Court. He was covered in bandages, especially his forelegs and he was restrained with thick large canvas straps.

" So he just… leapt through the window?" Luna asked.

"Yes your Highness. I can't believe he tried it, but he seemed very desperate." Said Sargent Halberd who stood next to Luna in his night guard armor. Luna shook her head and turned to him.

" I doubt this was an attempt at anything nefarious. I urge you to drop the charge of _conspiracy to commit treason_ from your list of accusations." Luna said.

" As you wish Princess, but I'm still convinced he was inebriated." Halberd Replied.

The door to the room suddenly opened with a loud creek and a unicorn pony with a white coat stepped in.

" Toxicology reports there was nothing in his system that would indicate any substance or spell abuse." Said Dr. Carotid, an elderly unicorn mare. She was holding Thomas's medical charts with her magic. Halberd narrowed his eyes and sighed with annoyance as he scratched _public intoxication_ from his list.

"What could have been the cause Doctor?" Luna asked.

" Well, judging from what Sargant Halberd reported, He had a lack of coordination and displayed paranoia which could indicate some sort of neurological issue. We've done some scans on his brain but we haven't found any major physical damage."

"Wait! hold on Doc, He fell 45 hooves and knocked himself out on the ground. He has to have gotten a concussion." Halberd protested.

" Yes he did, but his injuries are very minimal, nothing that would cause the sort of behavior that he showed tonight. I suspect that he might have something else wrong with him. Maybe when he wakes up, we will have a neurologist look him over and for good measure have him psychologically evaluated." Dr. Carotid said as she leaned up against the wall. Luna shifted her gaze back to Thomas who slept peacefully despite his injuries. The night had been long and made further difficult with the mess this stallion made. The least he could have done was stay awake to receive her wrath. Then Luna had an idea.

" Doctor, This stallion is asleep and not in a coma, correct?" Luna turned to Dr. Carotid and asked.

" Yes your highness, He's only asleep." Carotid replied.

" Then Perhaps I can speak to him myself." Luna said with a smile.

* * *

Thomas was walking across the campus at night, just like he had always done when he needed a break from studying. The moon was full and hung high in the sky and it cast it's light on the walk path that he was using which made the shadows appear darker.

Thomas had much on his mind, he had a great many exams to think about for the next day. He also had many projects he had to complete for his midterm critiques as well, so he wasn't sure if he could finish everything. Perhaps he could drop one of his extra classes.

Thomas was walking past the english building when he suddenly heard rustling in a dark bush to his right. He stopped in his tracks and stared at the bush for a minute. His mind was racing with scared thoughts as he waited to see what was in store for him. The bush continued to rustle.

 _What is that?_ Thomas thought to himself. The thing in the bush seemed to be too big for a dog which wouldn't have been a problem for Thomas since he had to deal with stray dogs his whole childhood. Suddenly, a large creature crept out of the bush and slowly into the moonlight. The creature was a dark grey small horse with black armor. His eyes were black and shiny and his mouth was filled with razor sharp teeth that jutted out of his mouth at strange angles. The creature smiled at Thomas and let out a deep raspy growl.

Thomas was scared stiff, he wanted to scream for help but his voice wouldn't come out and his legs refused to move. All he could think of was how he wished he had never gone on this walk. The creature continued to smile and growl at him.

Thomas tried to turn and flee but his he tripped and fell to the ground. Immediately, Thomas could hear the creature shuffling towards him. This frightened Thomas even more and he turned his head to see what the creature was about to do. The sight was most horrifying.

The creature had closed the distance as had opened it's maw, black liquid seeped from between the jagged teeth and dripped out of its mouth with a horrific stench. Thomas struggled to roll over but his body seemed too clubsy. His voice was horse and ineffective. From the creature's head, a large array of black tentacles emerged and took hold of Thomas's legs. The slick appendages wrapped around his legs and tightened. Once they got a hold of him, they pulled Thomas up off the ground to dangle above the creatures mouth. Thomas finally found his voice and began screaming. He tried to wriggle free but the creature held tight to his legs. It seemed to enjoy his frightened display.

" Somebody! Help Me!" Thomas finally managed to screamed as he waited for the creature to devour him.

" That's enough!" Said a loud booming voice. And just like that, the creature disappeared. Thomas didn't immediately fall down but was being held up by a glowing aura of blue light. The light slowly lowered him to the ground until he was in a sitting position.

Thomas looked around him to see who that voice came from. All he could see was his campus with the english building to his left.

" Who...who's that?" Thomas asked tentatively. From out of the shadows a larger horse with a dark blue coat and flowing stary mane and tail trotted out of the shadows.

" That is precisely the question I wanted to ask you." said the celestial looking mare. She trotted right up to thomas.

" Also...What are you?" she looked the ape like creature over with curiosity. Thomas, shocked and confused, returned the look of curiosity, wondering who this creature was.

" Is…. Is this a dream?" He asked.

" Yes." Luna replied flatly. If she had a bit for every time she was asked that, Equestria wouldn't need an tax system.

" So.. You're a dream?" Thomas asked as he pointed at her. The gesture was familiar to Luna

" No, I can assure you, I am real just like you." Luna replied with a hint of annoyance. She wondered if he was dreaming his physical appearance in this dream, but she could sense this was his true self image; something that created a tremendous amount of new questions.

" Says the dream." Thomas quipped.

"I am real and I do not know what you think you are, but in reality, you are a Stallion unicorn." Luna rebutted. Her patience was being tested now. Thomas looked at Luna and felt uneasy. He didn't understand what was happening, but this dream, and the dream he had about being a horse, felt too real. His frustration was coming to a boiling point.

" Look I don't know what the hell is going on, I just… I just wanna go home!" Thomas yelled. Luna looked Thomas in his eyes, She could see his sincerity and knew that he was truly confused. Luna had to get to the bottom of this new mystery creature and why he looked like a unicorn in her reality.

" My name is Luna. What is your name?" Luna asked. Thomas looked at her for a moment before he replied.

" Thomas, Thomas Hickey." His voice was a little bit calmer. Luna thought that his name was strange and it fit with his strange true self form.

" Well Thomas Hickey, perhaps we should start from the beginning. Would you mind if I asked you some questions." Luna asked. He seemed to be cooperative and as long as he was, she didn't feel he was a threat to her ponies.

" Well… ok." Thomas tentatively agreed. He felt that it wouldn't hurt to talk with this dream creature. He also felt he was going insane and maybe processing some of his thoughts could help him get back to reality. Then he had a thought. " I'm not dead, am I?" he asked. Luna was taken back.

" No, You're safe, in the Canterlot General Hospital." Luna Replied.

" Canterlot?" Thomas asked. He'd never heard of a place like that. "...Like Camelot?" He asked.

" Camelot? No, I said Canterlot. There are no Camels here." Luna replied. She was confused by his misinterpretation of the name. Thomas thought about the name for a bit. He felt a groan coming on as he realised the pun in the name.

" Oh I see." Thomas said flatly.

" Where are you from?" Luna asked.

"New Mexico in the USA." Thomas replied. Luna looked confused.

" Where is that exactly." she asked.

" It's in North America." Thomas said flatly again.

" I've never heard of a place like North America." Luna couldn't remember of hearing of a land called North America, or the United States.

" Really? Well North America is the continent that my country, The United States of America, is located, and New Mexico is a state in the USA."

" I've never heard of any of these names before. Are you saying you are not from Equestria?" Luna asked.

" Equestria? I've never heard of that name before." _Again another pun._ Thomas thought to himself. Luna stared at Thomas with a look of shock.

 _This can't be possible, there is no way!_ Luna thought to herself.

" What...planet are you from?" Luna asked with trepidation.

" Earth?" Thomas replied with a questioning tone.

" Like… dirt?" Luna asked.

" I guess?" Thomas replied. The two stared at each other for a while. Luna couldn't believe it, but it was possible this stallion was actually an alien, a being from another world, possible from another dimension. Of course this was contingent on him actually being an alien and not just a crazy pony. Luna looked around her.

The buildings and trees looked familiar as if they could belong in Equestria, but everything felt different too. None of the buildings displayed architecture that was prominent in Canterlot or any other city or town in Equestria.

" Do you recognize this place?" Luna asked as she pointed her left hoof at the surrounding campus.

" Yes, this is my university." Thomas replied.

" What are you studying." Luna asked. She was happy to hear that Thomas was in fact interested in getting an education.

" Studio art, specifically photography." Thomas replied with a tone of pride.

" That is fascinating." Luna said with a smile.

"So what are you?" Thomas asked.

" I am a pony, specifically an alicorn princess. I control the moon and dreams." Luna said with pride.

" The moon and dreams? What, are you a god?" Thomas asked with a hint of scepticism. Luna put her hoof up to her muzzle and giggled.

" No not exactly, though I am immortal. I have ascended to Alicornhood with my sister Celestia many millennia ago. We are the rulers of the sun and moon and we are part of what is currently a tetrarchy of princesses." Luna explained.

" This can't possibly be a dream, There's no way I could have made this up." Thomas said.

" You are in a dream, though what I have said is true." Luna replied. " So then let me ask you this, What are you?" Luna turned the question around on Thomas. Thomas thought for awhile, then he replied.

" Well, I'm what you call a human. I'm a greater ape that is sentient." Thomas said. Luna scrunched her nose up in confusion. She was almost certain that she had heard that term, though she wasn't sure where she had heard it.

" Do you know how you come to be a pony and how you found your way into my palace?" Luna asked with a slight scowl. Thomas's expression changed to one that was alarmed. This Celestial princess seemed to be upset with him. He needed to be careful not to convince her he was a threat.

" I honestly don't know. I was out walking on campus at night like this when i heard voices and i fell into some sort of tunnel." Thomas explained. Luna looked at him curiously.

Can you show me where?" She asked. Thomas nodded his head.

" Yeah, it's pretty close to here, but this is a dream right? " Thomas asked.

" Well We should get a close enough representation of yoru real university campus if you stay focused." Luna gestured with her hoof, pointing at Thomas's head.

" Ok, it's this way princess." Thomas said as he got up and started walking. Luna began following next to him, keeping pace with her trott. The two made their way through the dark campus as Luna's head was on a swivel. The buildings seemed familiar, but many other features seemed pretty alien. They traveled down a concrete path that was divided by lines making two lanes. One lane had a strange symbol on it.

" Thomas Hickey…" Luna asked.

" You can just call me Thomas if you like." Thomas corrected her.

" Very well, Thomas, what does that symbol mean?" Luna pointed at the ground as a bicyclist symbol on the ground.

" Oh That's a symbol that means that only bicyclists and skateboarders can use this lane. Everyone else has to walk on this lane." Thomas explained.

" Oh I see." Luna said, recognising that outline of a bicycle. She was familiar with them but she had never ridden one. Bicycles were invented during her time in exile.

" Do you have bicycles in Equestria?" Thomas asked. Luna looked up at him.

" Yes." She replied.

" How do horses ride them?" Thomas asked. Luna giggled.

" Not too dissimilar from your kind, judging from that symbol." she explained.

" Oh ok." Thomas replied. Luna smiled and continued to trott.

It wasn't long before they reached the parking lot near the art building. Luna looked around at the vast space with strange contraptions peppered in spaces denoted by white paint lines.

" This is where I first started hearing the voice." Thomas explained. Luna examined the area, scanning it with her eyes to see if she could notice anything.

" Is this how you remembered it when you fell into that tunnel?" she asked.

" Yes. I'm getting the hang of focusing on my memories to be honest." Thomas explained. His gaze fell upon the parking lot and he felt unease.

" Did anything look out of place?" Luna asked.

" No, everything seemed fine. I remember that I felt scared for some reason." Thomas remenised. Luna looked at Thomas.

" Is that a feeling you normally get when walking at night?" She asked.

" No, It's a pretty safe place, I just felt uneasy." Thomas looked over at the art building. " I was trying to get back to that building, the art building, When I started hearing the voice, the wind picked up and i got scared, so I ran." Thomas said as he pointed to the art building across the parking lot.

" This Voice, what did it say?" She asked wearily.

" I didn't' hear it clearly until I was close to the art building. It was calling me." Thomas replied.

" Where did you fall into the tunnel?" Luna looked out onto the parking lot.

" Over here." Thomas said as he started walking to the spot he fell into the vortex of horror. Luna trotted beside him. Thomas and Luna made it to a spot only ten feet away from the sidewalk that went around the art building.

" This is the spot." Thomas said. Luna looked around trying to see if she could find some clue that Thomas's subconscious left in his dream. Unfortunately this parking spot was no different from any of the others.

" Could you focus on what you saw when you fell." Luna asked. Thomas looked at her with concern but he nodded his head. Thomas wasn't sure why he was trusting her so much.

Thomas looked at the parking spot, when suddenly, the air got colder and the wind picked up. Luna looked around her as she heard a voice off in the distance, though she couldn't understand it. She looked at Thomas, who had closed his eyes. In front of them, a hole had formed in the ground and was black. Luna looked at it and realised it was some sort of summoning spell, though she didn't understand how it could be full of so much dark magic.

Luna then looked up at Thomas and noticed he was tearing up. His body was shaking and she could hear him breathing heavily and quickly. She knew he had enough.

Thomas was now scared out of his wits and wanted this nightmare to end. He was trying to stop but his mind was gaining speed in creating this horrifying event. He didn't think it was that big of a deal but now he had lost control. Suddenly he felt something push up against his arm and his dream became calm again. Thomas looked up at luna who was smiling at him.

" Do not worry Thomas, It's over now." Luna explained calmly. Thomas had tears running down his cheek.

" I… I didn't realise I was that scared." Thomas explained. Luna put her hoof on his shoulder to help calm him down. Thomas took a moment to regain his wits.

" It looks like you were summoned by some sort of dark ritual to our world. It seems that you were brought to our world for a purpose." Luna explained.

" Ok, So… now what?" Thomas asked. He gestured with his hands palms up as if to show he was open to suggestions.

" I will have to consult with my sister. In the meantime, when you wake up, you are to stay out of trouble. It is bad enough that you broke a very expensive piece of artwork. A certain Sergeant in my guard wants to charge you with several crimes. I assure you that your situation will be taken into account, but you must be careful not to commit any more crimes.." Luna explained. Thomas remembered his ill fated attempt at escaping.

" So do you know how messed up I am?" Thomas asked.

" You will be in a lot of pain when you wake up, but you'll recover." Luna replied.

"Oh…" Thomas replied sheepishly.

"Farewell for now Thomas Hickey, and good luck. We will meet again." Luna said as she started dematerialising from his dream.

" Am I in a lot of trouble?" Thomas asked.

" Very much so, but we will sort this all out." Luna said before she disappeared.

 _Oh that's reassuring_. Thomas thought when she was gone.

* * *

 **Back in the Hospital**

Luna Came to as she was at the bedside of a Thomas. She blinked her eyes before she looked around her. Standing behind her was Sergeant Halberd and Dr. Carotid. They both had looks of interest.

" Princess, did you find anything out?" Halberd asked. Luna looked at him.

" Thomas Hickey is his name and I am going to take a more prominent role in this case. I'm going to have to consult with my sister on this matter." Luna explained. Halberd looked at Carotid.

" What kind of name is that?" Halberd asked.

" I am afraid It is time for me to lower the moon, I hope you can take it from here Doctor." Luna said to Dr. Carotid.

" Yes your Highness, We'll take care of him."


	3. Chapter 3

**(Authors Notes:** I'm Hoping to get one chapter out a week. So far so good. Sorry it's a little slow right now but there will be plenty of action and romance in the chapters to come. Once again, Thank you all for reading my fic.)

 **Canterlot Palace**

Princess Luna slowly trotted through the Palace once she had made her way back from the hospital. She was greeted by the day guards as they saluted her. Her weak nod back told them she was very tired.

Luna was exhausted, her eyes struggled to stay open as she slowly trotted through the hallways. She took notice that the lavender in the wall sconces had already begun to wilt. It wouldn't be long before she would have to replace them.

 _Ugh, I'll do it in the evening._ She thought to herself. The morning had been long and she needed her rest. Her bed called to her and she had certainly earned her place in it.

Luna had been wondering how she would talk to her sister about the damage since she was worrying about budgeting for the palace. Furthermore, she would have to report to Celestia about the strange unicorn / human. She wasn't sure what exactly to make of him or his situation. Telling Celestia wouldn't be easy.

Luna turned the corner of the very troublesome hallway with a very large window that had to be replaced and standing at that very window was Celestia. Luna stopped in her tracks and observed her sister. Celestia was staring with wide eyes at the damaged Window which had originally depicted the elements of harmony vanquishing Discord. It was a very special gift for Twilight and her friends that Celestia had poured many bits into its construction. In its place was a large piece of plywood that had been hastily placed. Luna didn't like the look on her sister's face but she knew she'd have to confront what was sure to make her morning even longer.

" Sister, We need talk." Luna called out to Celestia.

" Luna...What happened?" Celestia asked. Her eyes continued to look over the remnants of the art piece.

" Well sister, it's… Well… there is a lot to discuss." Luna faltered with her words as she struggled to find the right combination.

" This window cost the palace over 10,000 bits to construct. It was a one of a kind commissioned piece. How did this happen?" Celestia turned to look at Luna with a pleading expression. Luna felt herself becoming nervous.

" Well you see Celestia, We had a sort of break in last night."

" A break in? Were the perpetrators detained?" Celestia asked.

" Well.. yes but you see, the situation is very complicated."

" What do you mean? Who did this?" Celestia asked again.

" His name is Thomas Hickey, He was being chased by one of my guards and he decided to try to jump through this window. "

" But the glass was over an inch thick, that would have injured him for sure." Celestia turned her body to face Luna. Her attention was completely focused on her sister. Then Celestia realised something didn't sound right to her. " Wait, Thomas Hickey?"

" Yes It's a strange name. He did sustain injuries, so that is why he is at Canterlot General. He Should be waking up soon." Luna explained.

" He's asleep? Did you try to talk to him?" Celestia asked.

" Yes and that is why we need to talk, but maybe…" Luna looked around at the palace staff that were looking at them. Celestia looked around to see what Luna was looking at. Many of the palace staff and some of the guards were staring at the conversing princesses. Then Celestia turned to give Luna a look of confusion. " It's something we should discuss in private." Luna added. Celestia continued to look at her little sister with a confused expression.

" Ok fine. Maybe we can discuss this over pancake's in the dining hall?" Celestia suggested.

" Of Course sister." Luna replied with a smile.

* * *

 **Canterlot General Hospital**

Sargent Halberd was up late in the morning chatting with Doctor Carotid. Dr. Carotid had a slow night shift after her unidentified unicorn stallion patient was admitted. She decided to chat with Halberd between patients to question him about the unicorn as to ascertain the cause of his condition prior to his self inflicted injuries. Halberd elected to stay on duty throughout the morning since he was very adamant to talk to the patient.

" I still don't understand why he thought jumping through one and a half inches of glass was a good idea." Halberd said.

" It's Unusual that somepony would freaked out like that. What exactly did you do to him to make him fear you?" Dr. Carotid asked.

" All I did was levitate his hind legs in the air and held him there, You know, standard apprehension practices and all." Halberd replied. Halberd looked at the blue stallion and thought for a moment. " I wonder what Princess Luna saw in his dream." He added.

" What do you think she saw?" Dr. Carotid asked.

" Well She did get his name so I'm sure she talked with him about other things." Halberd speculated.

" It would have been nice to know more. The more I know, the better I can treat him." Carotid explained.

" What kind of name is Thomas Hickey any way? I've never hear of anypony being called that." Halberd asked.

" It's definitely strange. Perhaps he's from the badlands." Carotid added.

" I don't know, Well just have to ask him." Halberd added. " I also want to know how he got into the palace. None of the other guards reported seeing him before the incident." Halberd gestured with his hoof.

" Well he is a unicorn, It's possible he teleported in. Princess Twilight Sparkle can teleport anywhere she pleases." Carotid explained. " Then again, He's so magically underdeveloped that I doubt he could perform a simple levitation spell."

" It's possible he could have been teleported by somepony else, but why would anypony do that?" Halberd looked at Thomas and rubbed the bottom of his chin. It was Then a low groan emitted from Thomas.

" Hey did you hear that?" Halberd asked.

" Yes. I Think he's waking up, and right on que." Carotid replied. Her Violet Eyes seemed to light up with excitement.

* * *

Thomas dipped in and out of consciousness more times than he could remember and he spent much time in what felt like the land of the dead. However, the times when he was somewhat coherent, Thomas felt awful. His whole body seemed to ache and what ached the most was his forelegs. There was also an insistent pounding in his head that made his ears twitch. Also, His jaw was stiff which made it hard to open.

There were some sounds that found their way into his mind; faint murmurs that he was hearing close by. They were too soft to understand, but Thomas knew they were from more than one source. At times he could only hear a woman, while other times he could hear a man standing over him talking.

This process of being dead, half waking up, hearing the murmurs and not being able to move, seemed to continue into some sort of twisted eternity. However, each time he woke, he seemed to be able to stir just a little more, and each time he heard the murmurs, they seem to be a little clearer.

Thomas was now back in the land of the living again, his body ached just as it did the other times with the distinct exception that he was able to slightly open his eyes. The light that bled in from the slits of his eyelids was blinding. He felt very warm, uncomfortably warm. The blankets that covered him were too much. He tried with all his will power to move his legs, but his efforts seemed to only bring more pain. With that he let out a very soft groan; a groan supported only but his very dry throat.

" Hey did you hear that?" said a male voice from behind Thomas. Thomas could hear the murmur of a woman in the room, but he couldn't understand her.

* * *

 **Canterlot Palace Dinning Hall**

" OK Luna, Let me get this straight. You're telling me that this Thomas Hickey, someone who appears to be a pony but is instead a bipedal ape like creature who studies art, teleported to our world through some dark magic?" Celestia asked for clarification.

" It appears to be a dark summoning, sister. I didn't catch the incantation in his memory, but it did feel like dark magic." Luna explained as she levitated her fork.

" Why didn't you notify me immediately?" Celestia asked.

" I didn't see any immediacy in action was needed and I chose to investigate the matter first before coming to you? Thomas Seems to be unwitting in his involvement."

" Luna, the implications of this Thomas Hickey's being summoned here could be disastrous. I feel that dark forces may be moving against our ponies." Celestia argued. Celestia looked down at her chocolate coconut pancake with mango and whip cream that unassumingly smiled back at her. Luna had levitated a fork full of her own pancakes up and took a bite.

" I need to see this Thomas Hickey. I need to see him for myself." Celestia stayed quiet for a moment before she looked up At her sister. " We'll set up a court date for him today. Sister I won't make you stay up any longer…"

" I'll be fine sister. It won't be the first time I've had to stay up late. " Luna replied with a smile. Celestia smiled back.

" Oh Luna, you have something on your nose." Celestia pointed out with her hoof. Luna crossed her eyes to see a sizable dollop of whip cream on the tip of her nose. Apparently she hadn't noticed. The pair of sisters chuckled at that. Luna levitated a napkin up to her muzzle and wiped it clean.

" I believe It's almost time for day court to begin. Perhaps you'll be turning in until I can set up Mr. Thomas Hickey's court time for the afternoon?" Celestia asked.

" Of Course sister, I shall be taking a rest until that time." Luna replied.

" Then it's settled." Celestia proclaimed as she lifted a fork full of pancake into her mouth.

* * *

 **Canterlot General Hospital**

" Wha...What's going on?" Thomas forced his voice through his dry throat. There was a short moment of silence

" What's going on is that You're in big trouble." Halberd proclaimed. He moved to closer to the side of the bed. Thomas opened his eyes a little to see Halberd.

" Princess Luna?" Thomas asked. Halberd and Dr. Carotid looked at each other before Carotid spoke.

" She went to speak with Princess Celestia." She replied.

" who…. Who are you?" Thomas asked in a forced voice.

" I am Dr. Carotid, general physician here at Canterlot General Hospital." Carotid said.

" ...And I'm Sargent Halberd of the Canterlot Palace Night guard. I'm here to inform you that you are under arrest for trespassing, vandalism, resisting arrest and assaulting a guard. Once you have recuperate here, you will be brought into EUP custody." Halberd Explained with a certain level of content. Thomas turned his head to look at Halberd.

" I'm really being charged with all that?" He asked in a weak, raspy voice.

" Well you did trespass in the palace, you tried galloping away, you kicked me in the face, and you destroyed a valuable piece of architecture. I sure do hope you can find a really good lawyer." Halberd added with a smug smile. Thomas laid his head on the pillow.

"Great." Thomas replied sarcastically.

" I'm really curious, Where are you from Thomas Hickey?" Carotid asked. Thomas looked up with surprise at the Doctor.

" We know your name, but that is all the Princess told us. I was hoping you could tell us more." Carotid explained. Thomas looked at her, then he looked at Halberd. _So everything wasn't a dream? Great!_ Thomas thought to himself. Thomas looked at Halberd; he was thinking about how he would need to " stay out of trouble" as Princess Luna had warned him.

" Since I'm being detained, do I have the right to remain silent?" Thomas asked. He was hoping he didn't have to talk to Halberd since he didn't have his best interests at heart. Halberd looked annoyed at the question.

" ugh… yes, yes you do." Halberd reluctantly replied. Thomas then looked at Dr. Carotid and shook his head. Carotid looked over to Halberd.

" Sargent, I need you to leave." She said bluntly.

" What for Doc?" Halberd asked

" I need to talk to my patient," she replied. Halberd looked even more annoyed.

" Fine Doc. Hey buddy, just so you know you'll eventually have your day in court." Halberd said before he turned to walk out of the room. Carotid waited for him to leave, then she cast a silencing spell on the room, cutting off the sound from inside.

" Ok now Mr. Thomas Hickey, Id like to ask you some questions."

" I'd rather not do this." Thomas said.

" Mr. Thomas Hickey, I must remind you that as my patient you have the right to patient confidentiality and I am bound by the law to maintain that confidentiality. I only intend to ask you questions pertaining to your condition so that I may diagnose and treat you properly." Thomas continued to stare at the doctor as he wondered about what he should do. Dr. Carotid did seem to be sincerely interested in his well being so he didn't really see any harm in cooperating with her. Besides, she was the only one who could help him with his pain.

Thomas felt pain coursing through his body from his injuries. He could feel the stiffness of the stitches that held his many wounds closed and that cause him more pian. The pain was manageable from what he could tell but The discomfort made him want to ask for more pain meds.

" Ok, I'll answer your questions,but could you do something about the pain?" Thomas asked. He lifted one of his forelegs to emphasis the area he was feeling it the most.

" Of course Thomas Hickey, just give me a moment." Carotid said as she pointed her white horn at him. The horn began to glow a soft violet color and Thomas felt an aura surround him. It was light and energetic, but it started to sooth his pain. Thomas was surprised to see the doctor's magic, It made him feel nervous, but at the same time he didn't feel like it going to hurt him.

Thomas remembered How Halberd had lifted him up in the air. The magic felt more abrasive and violent, not as violent as his trip through the tunnel of shadows, but it did make him feel uncomfortable. It was as if he was being handled by a large hand. Dr. Carotid magic was light and gentle. Eventually His pain seemed to disappear.

" Thanks Doc. " Thomas said with a content smile.

" You're name is very unusual Mr. Thomas Hickey."

" You can just call my Thomas, It's weird hearing my full name." Thomas requested.

" Ok Thomas. Now may we begin?" Carotid asked. Thomas looked her in her eyes.

" Ok Doc."


End file.
